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Effective Methods for Learning Pathologies

Use this form to capture important information about specific pathologies during lectures and reading assignments. Keep them in a binder to use for study when you prepare for the national examination.

Pathology Graphic Organizer

Effective Methods for Learning Pathologies

Pathology, which can mean the study of disease or the presence of something abnormal in the body, is a concept you’ll become well acquainted with as a massage therapist.

In your professional practice, you’ll need to determine if a pathology contraindicates massage entirely, or if it requires you to adapt the massage session to make it safer for the client. In some cases, you will know enough about a particular pathology to determine what is safe for a client off the top of your head. In other cases, you will need to use reference books or the Internet to determine if massage is contraindicated or if session adaptations are required.

You will know massage is contraindicated for a particular pathology if:

  • A condition is contagious
  • A condition is in an acute stage or in flare-up
  • Massage could aggravate the condition or symptoms associated with the condition
  • Massage could aggravate side effects of medications used to treat the condition

You will know that common session adaptions for massage include:

  • Changes to session length (e.g., you might shorten the session).
  • The decision not to apply massage to certain body regions or areas (e.g., local contraindication).
  • Changes to the support provided to the client before and after the session (e.g., you might need to help a client get on and off a massage table).
  • Changes to the way in which you position the client to receive massage (e.g., the client may need to receive massage from a seated position, or may not be able to lay on his/her back, etc.).
  • Changes to the choices of techniques (e.g., certain techniques might aggravate the client’s condition).
  • Changes to the depth and vigor of techniques (e.g., the technique is safe so long as it is applied gently).

Here are some things you’ll need to know about pathologies:

  • A definition of the pathology (e.g., diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by problems with glucose metabolism).
  • Types or categories of the pathology (e.g., diabetes could be broken down into type 1 and type 2).
  • Signs and symptoms (e.g., signs and symptoms of diabetes might include frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased appetite, fatigue, weight loss, tremors, etc.).
  • Complications (e.g., complications related to diabetes include cardiovascular disease, edema, ulcers, gangrene and amputations, kidney disease, impaired vision, neuropathy, and others).
  • Contraindications (e.g., massage is contraindicated for people living with diabetes if the condition is advanced or poorly managed, if tissue quality is poor, in situations of kidney failure, if an infection is present, when atherosclerosis is a factor, etc.).
  • Cautions or session adaptations (e.g., the therapist may need to adapt for neuropathy in the extremities by lightening strokes, treating the extremities as a local contraindication, or adapting for poor quality of tissue; or, have a small meal before session if glucose levels are low, and have high-sugar snacks on hand in the event of insulin shock, etc.).
  • Medications (e.g., for diabetes, this includes insulin by injection, pen, or pump. Injection sites or insulin pump attachment sites are local contraindications).  
  • Benefits of massage (e.g., massage benefits clients with diabetes because it supports stress reduction, decreases muscle pain and soreness, promotes overall wellness, etc.).
  • Special considerations (e.g., with diabetes, a therapist should be aware there are three types of diabetic emergencies that might occur—ketoacidosis, hyperosmolarity, and insulin shock—and how to manage those emergencies if they occur during a session).

One way to master pathology is to use ABMP’s Exam Coach throughout your training program. This interactive web-based app—that you can use on any device—tutors students on content ranging from Massage History to Pathology and everything in between. Designed as a test prep program to help you prepare for your national licensing exam, ABMP Exam Coach also works to assist you throughout your training program, offering you flash cards, terms and their definitions, quizzes, and four practice exams. Check out the free demo today.

Another great way to learn pathology information is to download the ABMP Pathology Graphic Organizer in the Picked Fresh section of this newsletter. Fill in the graphic organizer while completing reading assignments and during lectures. Then rewrite the organizer for each pathology to ensure your notes are clean and tidy. This practice also helps you input important information into your long-term memory. Save your pathology graphic organizers in a folder and review them often. When it comes time to take the national examination to obtain your massage credentials, you’ll be ready. The organizers will also serve as a valuable resource for your professional practice.